Diamonds and Rust
by Jaid Skywalker
Summary: R/A angst. Five years after Ranma and Akane seperated, Akane recieves a phone call that brings up the past. Memories are a collection of diamonds and rust...read and review plz.


**Um…a sad attempt at an ansty R/A pairing I guess. The song belongs to Joan Baez, as far as I can tell. I had to do this by ear and memory, so I'm not sure if I got all the lyrics right (although I did switch "cooking" for "poetry" in one line.) Please let me know if you like it! **

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I walked up the stairs to my apartment, tired from a day's work. Being an actress wasn't all it was cracked up to be, I decided, even though my martial arts skills had caught some attention. 

Dumping my purse and some groceries on the small table, I glanced out the window. The moon was full and hung in the sky, causing everything below to have a silver sheen. 

'It's full.' I thought. 'Like the night he left.' 

Wrenching my thoughts away angrily, I stormed around the kitchen and put things away, angry at myself for letting my guard down. It had been years ago; why couldn't I let go?

The telephone rang. I frowned. Kasumi, Ukyo and Akari wouldn't be up this late; Nabiki would be working. Maybe it was Mousse, telling me he was back in town. Smiling, I picked up the phone. 

"Tendo Akane." 

"Hey, Tomboy." 

My breath caught in my throat. "Hey Jerk." I answered softly. 

_Well I'll be damned_

_Here comes your ghost again_

_But that's not unusual_

_It's just that the moon is full_

_And you happened to call_

"What's up?" Ranma asked. 

"Nothing much. I have my apartment now." I said. There was a silence. 

"You went back to your maiden name." Ranma commented quietly. 

"You left. I…legally I'm still a Saotome, but…well, for my work…" I let my voice trail off. 

"Yeah, I understand." 

I closed her eyes and swallowed. His voice brought up so many feelings. Anger, surprise, joy, hope, sadness. They all swirled around in me and I really did wish it had been Mousse or Nabiki on the other side. 

_And here I sit_

_Hand on the telephone_

_Hearing a voice I'd known_

_A couple of light-years ago_

_Heading straight for a fall_

Heading straight for a fall. Yeah, that had been me and Ranma. We had tried being married. But it hadn't worked out. I was too temperamental; he had too much male denseness. Finally we had agreed to do something; we couldn't raise children in that sort of environment. But I hadn't known that he would leave.

"How's Kechii?" Ranma asked, breaking into my thoughts. 

"He's fine." I answered. "He's staying with Kasumi right now. Did you know she got married?"

"Really?" 

"Yeah. About a month after…" I couldn't bring myself to say 'a month after you abandoned me', so I went on. "She married Mousse." 

"No way." Ranma sounded surprised. "But I thought-" 

"It was a shock to all of us." I said. "Kechii really misses you. He keeps asking me when Daddy's going to come home." 

Silence. 

"Ranma?" 

"I'm here." He said, sounding a little raw. "I wish I could give him an answer. Give him my love, will you?" 

"Okay." I answered. 'You should give it to him yourself.' I thought, but it was no use to argue over the phone. Not after five years. 

_As I remember it _

_Your eyes were bluer than Robin's eggs_

_My cooking was lousy you said_

_Where are you calling from? _

_A booth in Midwest_

Blue eyes. Eyes that were filled with a boyish innocence and pride. Innocence that somehow faded after the Saffron incident. I swallowed hard again and forced myself to break the silence. 

"I can cook now." 

"Really? And it's edible?" Ranma said in mock surprise. I forced myself to laugh. 

"Jerk." I said. 

"Tomboy." He countered. 

"Where are you?" I asked softly. 

"Midwest, U.S.A." Ranma answered. 

"Ranma! It must be, like midnight there!" 

"Five in the morning actually. I just wanted to surprise you and I'm on my way to work." 

"I see." My heart fell a little. He was so far away. "I guess you don't plan on coming home then?" 

"Not today, no." Ranma answered with an attempt at light-heartedness. "But tell me about Ryouga and the gang. How are they?" 

_Remember, I bought you some cufflinks_

_You brought me something _

_We both know what memories can bring_

_They bring diamonds and rust_

"They are all fine." I said. "Ukyo and Konatsu opened up a chain of Okonomiyaki shops. They're getting married in a few months. Akari and Ryouga have three boys. Kasumi married Mousse; he works as a magician. I haven't heard from Shampoo for a year or so." I paused, but no reaction. "Nabiki is company partners with Kuno; they seem to get alone. Kuno got help." 

"He needed it." I could hear Ranma's grin and smiled without meaning too. 

"Hey, Ranma?" 

"Yeah?" 

"Do you still have those cuff links?" 

Silence. 

"The ones you bought for our wedding?" 

"Yeah." 

"I do." Ranma was quiet. "Do you remember your wedding gift? The bracelet?" 

"Of course." I laugh merrily. "It's my good luck charm." 

"Figures you'd believe that." Ranma says, without malice. I smile sadly. This conversation seems so fake. It hurts. 

_Now we're standing around_

_Leaves in your hair_

_Now you're smiling out the window_

_In that crummy hotel over __Washington Square___

_Our breath comes out white _

_And mingles in the air _

_Speaking strictly for me_

_We both could have died then and there_

I closed my eyes. The day we had decided to do something about our relationship was a dreary fall day. Both Ranma and I had been outside. It was cold; so cold they could see their breath. 

"So what are we going to do?" Ranma finally asked. 

"I do know." I had answered. "Maybe we both need space. I could go stay with your mother-" 

"No." Ranma sighed. "I'm the problem. I'll go." 

"But Ranma-!" 

"No, 'Kane. Don't argue with me now." He took my hand. "Just…I want you to remember something. I love you Akane. Whatever happens don't forget it." 

I reopened my eyes. My heart had broken when he had left and had broken more when he hadn't called or written. 

"It's been a long time." Ranma said. 

"Yeah." I agreed. "A really long time." 

_Now you keep telling me_

_That you're not nostalgic_

_Then give me another word for it_

_You who were so good with words_

_And keeping things vague_

"I guess we've been pretty nostalgic." Ranma mused. 

"You actually know what the means?" I ask, teasing. 

"Ha, ha." Ranma responds. "Uncute tomboy." 

"You wouldn't say that if you saw me now." 

"No probably not." He says. I bite my cheek. We're teasing; close to flirting. Just to hide what we feel from each other. Back then, we would argue to achieve the same purpose. Why do we do that? 

"I guess I was surprised because you were never one to dwell on the past." I say softly. 

"I'm still not that way." Ranma declares. 

'Then why are you calling?' I thought.

'Cause I need vagueness now

Or it'll all come back to clearly

Yes I loved you dearly 

And if you're offering me diamonds and rust

I've all ready paid…

"Akane?" 

"Yeah?" 

"Remember what I told you, the day before I left?" 

"Yes." I whisper. 

"Well…" he hesitates. "It's still true." 

There's a silence. 

"Tell Ukyo to e-mail me and I'll stop by for the wedding." He says. "Maybe…maybe we could start over." 

"I'd like that." I answer. 

"You have my address? I haven't changed." 

"Yeah, I'll give it to her." 

We are both quiet. I swallow another lump in my throat and blink at the tears threatening to come. An old song once said that memories were diamonds and rust. It was right. The diamonds of friendship, joy and love. The rust of petty arguments, stubbornness and anger. 

"I guess, I'll say good-night then." He says. "Or good morning." 

"Yeah." I say, forcing a smile, though I don't know why. "See you around, Ranma." 

"Aishiteru." He whispers and hangs up. I hang up the phone slowly and let my tears fall free. 

Even after all this time, he still makes me cry. Baka. I smile and shake my head at my foolishness, then go to my room. Tomorrow, I have to stop by the dojo and pick up Kechii before a shoot. 

Ranma has his life and I have mine. Will we ever be together? I don't know. Only time will tell. 

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**Um…yeah. Very sad attempt here…As for the stuff in this fic, I don't know where it came from. For some reason, when I heard the song, I just got a picture of a grown-up Akane getting a phone call form Ranma, when she hadn't seen him for a long time. The end kinda fizzled out there…. And there is some hope I leave in there; the romantic in me wouldn't let me get away without it. ^__^ Please leave a review!**


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